3 most popular festivals in Poland

Roberta Smith December 20, 2020

89 6 minutes read

Poland is a very prominent country. It is located in Central Europe. Being inhabited by so many people,makes it mandatory for it to maintain its traditions and customs. Poland is located in the middle of European countries from Latin origin and Germany. The culture of the people of Poland therefore flowstogether with the Bazentyne, Latin and the German customs. The cultural richness of Poland is attributed to its past events of more than a millennium. These events include segregations, rebellions, and horrifying events of theWorld War. For instance,the All Saints Day is a ceremony that is celebrated to commemorate the deaths of acquaintances andof kin, that died during past adversities. Festivities in Poland are also greatly impacted by the plentycustoms, literary works, music, theatre and dishes. For example, in the Jewish Culture Festival, held annually in Warsaw, includes nine eventful days to show the wonderful literary works, theatre and amazing music of Poland. Other festivals held in Poland include Baltic Days of Jewish Culture, Warsaw Autumn International Festival of Contemporary Music and the Saint Dominic’s Fair. The following however, are the three most fascinating festivals that are uniquely celebrated in Poland.

Juwenalia (June)

Juwenalia is a name used by the people of Poland to refer to a celebration held annually to celebrate university education scholars.Juwenalia is celebrated in all institutions of higher education. Its celebrations began in 1964 when the University of Jagiellonian was celebrating its 600^thyear. The scholars decided that they wanted to celebrate the festival in a special way. They dressed in colorful clothes,marched through the city and performed several interesting activities. It is held before scholars sit for their summertime examinations. This is either in the month of May or in the early days of June. At the beginning of Juwenalia, school students dress in bright coloured outfits and gatherin one place. The mayor of the city hands keys to the entrances of the city over to the scholars. This informs the students that there will be no learning for the duration in which the ceremony shall be celebrated. The ceremony takes place for three days. Students have control over the city and are given freedom to do whatever they want. During these days, events such as sports, concerts andeven drinking of beer are conducted.

This ceremony has different names according to the institution and the place it is celebrated on. For instance, in economic schools, it is referred to as Ekonomalia whereas in medical schools, it is known as Medykalia. They are referred to as Kortowiada in Warmia and Mazury located in Olzstyn, Piastonalia at Opole University, Igri at the technological university of Silesian, located in Gliwice. It is also referred to as Neptunalia at Gdansk University and Bachanalia at the University of Zienola Gora.

In the last ten years the attendance of the ceremony has significantly increased. This is due to the great parties, concerts and other enjoyable activities done at the festival. Due to its perfect representations of Poland’s culture and heritage, the festival has spread all over and is celebrated in all cities with universityinstitutions. This is a very fascinating ceremony that you should strive to attend while in Poland. Get to experience university students having a great time, while representing their culture and heritage. With activities such as concerts, dancing and alcohol drinking you will surely have a great time at this festival.

Wianki (June)

Wianki means wreaths in the English language. The festival got its name from the practice of floating wreaths on the riveras part of celebrating the summer solstice.The Wianki festival is believed to have originated during the time before Christ. It was however managed and controlled by the Krakow City Hall in 1992. It is normally held in the month of June. In the earlier days, the people of Poland were convinced that Wianki was held to celebrate a time whenthe sun reaches its highest position in the sky (midsummer).In recent times, however, activities such as music performances, customary events and firework showcases have been included in the celebrations. There are many other events conducted during this festival. These events include fire jumping, future prediction, and partners exploring the forest looking for some magical flower. The festivities are held along the banks of Vistula River in Krakow.

The St. John’s fair is also a part of the Wianki festival. It is held at Wawel near the banks of Vistula River. Activities such as showcasing and selling handmade products and customary dishes are done while concerts and traditional acts take place. These ceremonies therefore provide maximum entertainment for its visitors.

Wianki presents a good chance for tourists to experience the Polish culture. Preparation of traditional dishes, beautiful handicrafts and amazing parties are some of the activities done at the ceremony. If you are planning to visit Poland, make an effort to attend this fascinating festival. Book your reservations early in order to experience the amazing cultural festivities celebrated Wianki festival in Poland.

Jewish Culture Festival (June 22^nd– July 1^st)

The Jewish Culture Festival is a splendid event celebrated in the month of September. Over two hundred and fifty Polish artists and other artists from the rest of the world perform at this festival. There are more than two hundred musical and theatrical activities held at this festival each year to celebrate the Polish heritage. This festival is held at the Prozna and the Synagogue Street around the Grzybowsky Square in Warsaw. It is also held in Krakow. The festival is celebrated for eight to ten days each year. It was the most desired festival in 2018.

The festival started as a small cultural celebration but has grown to be the most significant festivity in Poland. It is recognized by both, the Polish people and people from other countries as well. The Jewish Culture Festival presents the different cultural aspects of Poland well. The festival enabled the Jewish people to get back their distinctiveness and identity. It presents the Jewish’s past events and how they regained their recognition. Before the start of this festival, the Jewish customs and practices were forbidden. After the festival began being celebrated, the Jewish culture seemed more appealing and people started appreciating it.

This festival is undoubtedly one of the most interesting and educational festivals in Poland. It presents the history of the Jewish culture and how it came to be celebrated and appreciated. In addition to this, music performances and dance are among activities performed at the event. These events will keep you entertained during the entire festival. Thefestival attracts many visitors each year and has even been dubbed one of the most popular festivals in the recent years. This is a festival that you would not want to miss.

Cultural and religious festivals in Poland are some of the most remarkable representation of the Polish culture. They bring people from different countries, culture and ethnicities together. They also promote unity. After the world wars, these festivals contributed towards achieving unity between countries. They are also educational. They enable visitors to gain knowledge about the Polish culture. These interesting traditions attract thousands of visitors to the country every year. The Jewish Culture Festival, commemorates the history of the Jewish culture and how it came to be appreciated by people all over the world. These festivals generally provide a good time and activities for people to enjoy. You should therefore, strive to attend these festivals in Poland. Get to enjoy the diverse culture of the Polish people. The traditional food, handmade crafts, the religious history, the music, dance and theatre performances are enough to keep you entertained during your time in Poland. Poland is also a very welcoming country. This should be reason enough for you to aspire to visit this country. The country also has many other festivals that are held throughout the year. The following are the other popular festivals that are celebrated in Poland.

Now, the only thing that’s left is for you to pack your bags, but before you leave for this amazing trip, make sure to check out the German website from Backpackertrail. There you will find more information about what to expect on your journey to Poland.

List of other major festivals